Firefly Drabbles, December 2016
by niraD
Summary: This is a collection of drabbles written for the reddit Daily Prompts. The theme for December 2016 is "Peace and Joy", and the announcement promises fluff, warm feelings, and holiday cheer. But this is Firefly fanfic, so I make no promises.
1. The Boy in the Box

So much pain.

But not from the boy in the box. Not from Tracey. River watched snow fall on his face, but it did not melt.

Tracey's family mourned, but they had lost him years ago.

Kaylee was no longer afraid, standing next to Simon. Jayne and Wash, each alone. None of them knew Tracey. Not really.

But Zoe and the captain, they knew him. They knew him in the war. And now he was gone, like so many others they knew in the war. So many others.

River watched snow fall on his face, and felt their pain.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

This drabble was written for the following Daily Prompt on the /r/FanFiction subreddit:

December 1st: **First Frost** \- **100 words** \- Winter just arrived and your character(s) are stuck outside in the cold.


	2. Not an Idiot

"You are not an idiot."

Jayne spun around and saw River standing behind him. "Anyone ever teach you not to sneak up on a man like that?"

"I didn't sneak up," she replied. "I just waited here for you. To tell you that you aren't an idiot."

He took a step back. "Why would you say a thing like that?"

"Because you stopped wearing your hat, the one from your mother."

He felt the soft bulge of the woolen hat in his pocket. "Yeah? So? It's warm enough without it."

"It was warm before, before the enforcement officer said it made you look like an idiot. You wore it then."

He stared at her for a few moments, then said quietly, "Look, I'm not blind. I know it's ugly, okay?"

"But your mother made it for you, and you feel better when you wear it. If my mother made me something, I'd wear it."

He pulled the woolen hat from his pocket and pressed it to his lips. When he looked up, River was gone.

He looked at the hat again, and then slowly put it on. He smiled, then continued down the corridor.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

This drabble was written for the following Daily Prompt on the /r/FanFiction subreddit:

December 2nd: **Put On** \- **200 words** \- Nothing says the holiday season like wearing ugly sweaters! Or silly hats! Or maybe those pants Aunt Mayble made you out of potholders... ;D


	3. Cider

"They didn't have to tie us up," Kaylee complained. She shifted uncomfortably. "Badger's guys didn't tie us up."

"Badger's a dumbass," Jayne grunted. "You saw how easy Doc's sister fooled him."

"Shut up!" demanded a man with a gun.

"Jayne," Wash whispered, "ix-nay on the alking-tay about iver-Ray."

Jayne scowled. "That don't make no sense."

"I said shut up. As in, shut... your... mouth. All of you!" The man punctuated his demand with a wave of his gun.

River's voice sang out from the top of the stairs, "Who wants cider?"

Her captive crewmates groaned in unison. While their captors looked at one another in confusion, River carried a tray of steaming mugs down the stairs. "I made eggnog," she said, "but the recipe uses eggs, and cream, and brandy. My substitutions were problematic. This is mulled cider."

"Who are you?" demanded the gunman.

River eyed the strangers. Then she faced her crewmates, who sat on the floor with their arms behind their backs. "I didn't make enough for your friends," she said simply.

"Who else is on the ship?"

"The captain, and Zoe. They should be back, but they're not. Inara's gone for two more days. I made cider for everyone else."

"Sit down!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't make enough for you."

Waving his gun at her, he shouted again, "Sit down, and shut up!"

She set the tray on a crate, then sat down and put her hands behind her back. Looking at his gun, she said, "That isn't what you think it is."

He aimed his gun at her. "Want me to show you what I think it is?" Waving it around, he continued, "Now shut up! All of you, shut up!"

* * *

The cargo bay was quiet. As River untied Simon, he asked, "How did you know they'd drink the cider?"

"Who cares?" Jayne said, as Shepherd Book untied him. "They're out, we're free, and the captain an' Zoe ain't back yet. That's all that matters."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

This drabble was written for the following Daily Prompt on the /r/FanFiction subreddit:

December 3rd: **Spike!** \- **500 words** \- Oh no, someone has spiked the Eggnog! How _terrible_!~ /s

[although I used only 350 words]


	4. Honey, I'm Home

**Author's Note:**

This chapter/drabble/prompt is a continuation of the previous one, so I strongly recommend that you read that one first.

* * *

"Honey, I'm home," Zoe's voice sounded almost cheerful as she and Mal returned.

Wash quickly embraced her, then commented, "You look like hell."

"Yeah, things didn't exactly go smooth," Mal said.

"There's a surprise," Jayne grunted.

"Not now," Mal said. "I'm tired, and sore, and hungry, and..." He noticed a pair of mugs on a tray, then grabbed one and drained it in one pull. "Thank you. That was good. Just like the mulled cider my mom used to make."

Simon sighed. "No, I really don't think so. Captain, maybe you should sit down."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

This drabble was written for the following Daily Prompt on the /r/FanFiction subreddit:

December 4th: Naughty - **100 words** \- Holiday treats shouldn't be messed with, and yet here we are. _glares_


	5. Such a Fool

"I am such a fool," he said aloud. Durran was alone in the parlor, surrounded by artifacts from Earth That Was. His gaze rested on the empty display case. Until today, it had housed his priceless Lassiter.

Memories came flooding back-memories of his wife's death, memories of his desperate loneliness, memories of the anguish of being reminded of his dear Halli every time he had looked at their children. And memories of... her.

"Dad, the guests will be arriving soon. When you're done up here with the police..."

"They just left. I'll be down in a moment."

How could he have been so foolish? In his grief, he had given his heart to a woman he hardly knew. He had treasured her. He had married her. He didn't even know her real name.

He felt something in his pocket, an envelope. He read the note written on it:

 _Durran,_  
 _This belongs in your family._  
 _Yolanda_

He tore open the envelope. Inside was a ring-the ring he had given Halli, the ring his father had given his mother, the ring his grandfather had given his grandmother.

He stared at the ring he had given... her.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

This drabble was written for the following Daily Prompt on the /r/FanFiction subreddit:

December 5th: **Nice** \- **200 (-30) words** \- An insanely kind gesture from someone unexpected.


	6. Unfinished Business

As Mal crossed the bridge, everything was still: the lake, the air, the cabin. He smelled the faint aroma of a wood fire. The cabin glowed with a warm golden light.

But she was inside. Her tracks led here from the shuttle.

"What unfinished business?" Jayne's words echoed in his mind. "We got the shuttle back. Let's go."

 _Jayne has a point_ , he thought as he made his way silently through the cabin.

He heard her voice, singing to herself on the other side of the door. He drew his gun, then burst in.

"Honey, I'm home!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

This drabble was written for the following Daily Prompt on the /r/FanFiction subreddit:

December 6th: **Cozy** \- **100 [-30] words** \- Picture prompt: i imgur com / Z2aVey9 jpg


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